Motor-vehicle construction.



E. GRUENFBLDT.

MOTOR VEHICLE CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 21, 1910 1,1 10, 1 99. Patented Sept. 8, 1914.

2 SHEETSSHBET 1.

E. GRUENPELDT.

MOTOR VEHICLE CONSTRUCTION.

APPLIGATION FILED DBC;.21,1910.

1,110,199. Patented 6101281914 2 SHEETS SHEET 2 UNITED snares. PATENTOFFICE.

EMIL GRUENFELDT, OF CLEVELAND, OH IO, ASSIGNOR TO THE BAKER MOTORVEHICLE COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A. CORPORATION OF OHIO.

MOTOR-VEHICLE CONSTRUCTION.

Specification of- Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 8, 1914.

Application filed December 21, 1910. Serial No. 598,540]

new and useful. Improvements in and Relating'to Motor-VehicleConstruction, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to motor vehicle constructions and moreparticularly to the arrangement and mounting of an electric motor anddrive or propeller shaft mechanism. relative to a rear axle having livedriven shaft sections.

In the drawings: Figure l is a side view of the chassis of. a motorvehicle with the wheels on the near side thereof removed. Fig. 2 is a.view partly in top plan and partly in: section of a portion of thechassis. Fig. 3 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in sectionof one of the'reajch rods. Fig. 4 is a section on the line M of Fig. 1.Fig. 5 is a side elevation of amodified form ofconstruction. Fig. 6 isatop plan view of the same. Fig. 7 is a section on the line 77- of Fig.6. Fig. 8 is a view. partly in side elevation and partly in section of:a modified form of support for the front end of a reach rod or rods. ,1

Inthedrawings, 1 indicates the chassis of the vehicle, l indicates thewheels and 1 the springs on which the frame 1 is mounted. These partsmay be of any standand or preferred form of construction.

2 indicates the rear axle comprising live axle sections 2*, 2, housingsor casings therefor 2", 2 differential housing 2 and differential 2.

3 indicates an electric motor, 3" indicates a drive or propeller shaftwhich is driven by the motor 3. This shaft is connected at one end tothe armature shaft of the motor and at its oppositeend to a gear ormechanism 4, which latter drives the live axle sections 2, 2, throughthe differential 2.

5, 5,-indicate a pair of arms or rods, each rigidly connected at itsrear end to the housing of the rear axle 2 and extending forwardlytherefrom beyond the front end of themotor 3.

5 -indicates an eye or opening formed in the-front end of each arm 5,the opposite sides of the arm beingflattened, as shown at 5 5m fin-mbearing surfaces.

motor 0 6, indicate hangers depending from the chassis and eachpreferably provided-with a horizontally extending member or projection6.

7 indicates headed rods or bolts, each sup ported by one of the hangers6. The rods 7 extend vertically downward from the-hang,-

ers (3 and arespaced apart from eachother, whereby they alinewithand-extend.

through the openings 5 of the arms 5. The head of each rod or boltengages with the upper surface of the lateral projection 6 of the hanger6 which supports-it.

7 indicates a supportingdevic'e such as a washer, mounted on the loweror free end of each bolt or rod 7 and held thereon .by a nut 7 8, 8*,indicate compression springs surrounding each rod 7 and arranged thereonabove and below the adjacent arm 5. As

Zwill be seen, one end, of the spring 8 rests g upon the adjacent arm 5and its opposite end bears against the under surface of the ,projection6 while one end of the spring ;8 bears against the said arm 5 and itsopposite end rests upon the support or washer 7 The spring 8 for. eacharm 5 is preferably heavier and stronger than the spring 8,

because it supportsone end of the adjacent arm. 5 and also a portion ofthe Weight of the motor, as will be later described. But as shown in thedrawings, the springs 8 and 8 are of a size and strength, and alsoproportioned relative to 'each other to normally.

maintain the arms 5, 5, in a substantially horizontal position.

9 indicates devices for supporting the on and rigidly connecting it tothe arms 5. The devices 9 project from opposite sides of the motor ormotor casing and are preferably formed with openings through which thearms 5 extend. arms 5 are secured together in any suitable manner so asto make the motor 3 and arms 5 rigid relative to each other.

Referring particularly to the construction illustrated in Figs. 5, '6and 7, it will be seen that the construction has been slightly modified.In this form of the construction, the arms 5, 5, are connected togetherby a yoke at a point beyond or in front of .the motor 3. Preferably thearms 5, 5, are curved inwardly as shown-at 5 5, with their free endsarranged side byside and rigidly fixed The devices 9 and together by theyoke 5. 5 indicates an opening formed in the yoke 5 and arrangedpreferably in the vertical plane of the axis of the shaft 3. As isclearly shown in the drawings, in this form of this invention only onerod 7, which alines with and projects through. the opening 5, and a setof compression springs 8, 8, are required.

hereinbefore described and which yielding,

supporting mechanism permits substantially a universal movement, atleast to a slight degree, of the front ends of the said arms or rods, auniversal joint may be utilized for supporting the rods at the front endas illus trated in Fig. 8, the universal joints being designated by thecharacter 11.

it will be noted that the motor, rear axle and the drive connections orpower transmitting mechanism between the armature shaft of the motor andthe live shaft sec tions of the rear axle are so supported correlatedind connected together that no relative movement of. these parts indirections to cause disalinement of the armature shaft, propeller shaftand rea axle mechanism can be effected due to any normal conditions metwith in the operation of the motor or road conditions to which the reardrive wheels of the vehicle may be subjected. In this connection it maybe stated that my present invention is an improven'icnt upon my invention as disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 941,517,dated November 30, 1909, inasmuch as I have herein provided against anypossibility of relative detrimental movement of the motor and thecombined torsion and reach rods which support the motor. Through theinstrumentality of these rods and the rear axle and motor housings themotor shaft, drive or propeller shaft and the shaft connections betweenthe latter and the differential mechanism of the rear axle are held inrigid alin-ement with each other, irrespective of the movements ofeither the motor or the :rear axle relative to the frame of the vehicle.In other words the motor, the drive connections between the motor andthe rear axle, the arms, and rear axle housing must always move togetheras a unitary structure.

To those skilled in the art of making apparatus of the class described,many alterations in construction and widely differing embodiments andapplications of my invention will suggest themselves, without departingfrom the spirit and scope thereof. My disclosures and the descriptionherein are purely illustrative, and are not intended to be in any senselimiting.

l. in electric motor vehicle construction, the combination of a vehicleframe, a rear axle, including a housing and live axle sections, springsfor supporting the said frame upon the axle, a pair of arms rigidlyconnected to said rear axle housing and extending 'l'orwardly therefrom,means for yieldingly supporting said arms at their front ends,compression springs between the yield Yngly supported ends of the armsand the vehicle frame, an electric motor arranged between the said armsand having direct shaft drive connection with and at right angles tolive axle sections of said rear axle, and devices for rigidly connectingthe motor to lllc arms at points thereon intermediate the rear axle andtheir yieldingly supported ends, whereby the motor, drive connections,arms and rear axlehousing must always -mo\e together as a unitarystructure.

2. 1n electric motor vehicle construction, the combination of a vehicleframe, a front axle and wheels supportipg the front end of said frame, arear axle including a housing and live axle sections, springs interposedbetween said axle housing and the frame, rear d rive wheels on the liveaxle sections, a pair of arms each rigidly connected at its rear end tothe rear axle housing and at its front end having movable connectionwith the said frame, an electric motor arranged be' tween and rigidlysecured at opposite sides to said arms, the armature shaft of said motorbeing arranged at right angles to said rear axle, and drive shaftinterposed between the rear end of said armature shaft and the said rearaxle to transmit power one from the other whereby the motor, driveconnections, arms and rear axle housing must always move together as aunitary structure.

In electric motor vehicle construction, the combination of a vehicleframe, a rear axle, including a housing and live axle sections, springsinterposed between said frame and axle, an electric motor, a drivingconnection between said motor and the live sections of said rear axleincluding a drive shaft alincd with the armature shaft of the motor anda compensating gear, a pair of arms arranged upon opposite sides of themotor, the said arms being rigidly connected at one end to the said rearaxle housing and extending therefrom forwardly beyond the motor,compression springs interposed above and below the said arms arranged ator near the front ends thereof and permitting the arms to move upwardlyand downwardly, and devices for rigidly connecting the motor to the saidarms whereby the motor, drive connections, arms and rear axle housingmust always move together as a unitary structure.

4. In electric motor vehicle construction, the combination of a vehicleframe, a rear axle including a housing and live axle sections, springsinterposed between said frame and axle, an electric motor a drivingconneo- 1 end to the said rear axle housing and extending therefromforwardly beyond the motor, a yoke or device for rigidly connecting thearms together forward of the motor, compressipn means for movablysupporting the said yoke or device, and permlttin movement of the saidconnected ends of tie arms relative to the vehicle frame upwardly anddownwardly, and devices for rigidl connecting the motor to the saidarms, w ereby the motor, drive connections, arms and rear axle housingmust always move together as a unitary structure.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in the presence of twowitnesses.

EMIL GRUENFELDT.

Witnesses NATHANIEL PLA'I'I, SAMUEL ELKIND.

